This publication is designed to assist teachers in selecting
and teaching Canadian violin music. Preparation of this Guide
began with the identification and location of Canadian violin
compositions published prior to 1990. Detailed guidelines for
assessing level of difficulty were developed, and these guidelines
were used to assess the difficulty of all the located compositions.
Those compositions assessed as being of a suitable level of difficulty
for junior and intermediate level violinists were analysed in
detail, using standardized frameworks for appraising technical
challenges, musical characteristics, and pedagogical value. Included
in this Guide are descriptions of selected compositions
judged to be pedagogically valuable for junior and intermediate
level players (up to the Grade 9 Royal Conservatory of Music of
Toronto level). Information on each composition includes instrumentation,
duration, publisher, and level of difficulty. The adjectives Easy,
Medium, and Difficult are used as general descriptions
of the degree of difficulty, but teachers should refer to the
detailed descriptions of the technical challenges in order to
judge the suitability of specific compositions for individual
students.

Although the analysis of compositions has been as objective
as possible, based on carefully devised guidelines and standardized
frameworks, the importance of subjective response to music and
the uniqueness of each teaching situation must be acknowledged.
No piece, whether Canadian or not, is suited to all teaching situations.
Since musical tastes and technical abilities differ, it is important
that there be a variety of Canadian music, in different styles
and at varying levels of technical difficulty, from which teachers
can choose.

The selection of repertoire for teaching purposes is one of
the educators most important responsibilities, for music
must be at the centre of music education. Teachers owe it to their
students to choose the best possible repertoire, weighing all
the various factors related to their specific situation, using
their musical and educational judgement. They should use whatever
information is available to help them make repertoire choices,
including the information provided in this Guide. When
teachers are aware of the variety of Canadian music which is available
and suitable for student performers, and when they have access
to support materials to guide them to their choice and teaching
of this repertoire, they can include Canadian music as an integral
part of a well-balanced music program, thus fostering students
awareness of their national cultural heritage.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my sincere thanks to those whose assistance
made the publication of this Guide possible. I am grateful
for the on-going support of the John Adaskin Project from the
Canadian Music Centre and the Canadian Music Educators Association.
John Adaskin Project research and administrative assistants provided
invaluable help. Jill Dawson assisted with much of the preliminary
research, and Lisa and Peter Kim helped in the preparation of
the camera-ready text. The work of these assistants was supported
through grants from the Ontario Arts Council and from the Canadian
government through the Department of Employment and Immigration.
The University of Toronto Faculty of Music provided the computer
facilities used to prepare this Guide. And, finally, special thanks
are due to my parents, my husband, and my daughters Alison and
Fiona for their love and encouragement.